As we go into a new year, it's a great time to start an online business that you can earn from. If you're ready to get started, but you're confused about where to start, you're in the right place.
We'll cover the equipment you'll need to to get started with your online business and the pros and cons of it all.
Some of these items we discuss here will seem obvious, but I will go into detail about them because there are many variations that you'll need to be aware of.
There are also items that are optional, that you can add later as your business grows.
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Resources Needed to Start an Online Business
If you have products and an audience, it's a matter of having a place to sell them. Here are resources and platforms you can access to sell.
These platforms will also allow you to set up an account for free in many cases so that you can begin your entrepreneurial journey.
Marketplaces
To get started as quickly as possible you might consider creating listings in various marketplace platforms or what is referred to as a limited use platforms.
Social Media
Selling on social media platforms is also an alternative you can use to sell products and services. These social media platforms provide entrepreneurs with the tools to showcase and sell their products, and they are particularly effective for reaching and engaging with potential customers.
To Blog or Not to Blog
In my opinion, as your business grows, blogging will become an absolute necessity. You will need a place to send potential customers to take actions like engaging with your business, buying products, leaving comments, asking questions, etc., and blogging gives you that place.
Blogging also gives you the ability to obtain data that helps you understand what is working, for example your best selling products and most viewed content.
To determine whether you'll need a blog, review the benefits of blogging below.
The items in section 6 includes items I think are optional.
Here are some of the tools you'll need to work from home. Check out this list to get started
Equipment You'll Need to Get Started
The equipment in sections 1 - 5 includes the business equipment you'll need to start an online business.
1. An Internet Connection
This one is really obvious, but access to the Internet is the most important element in starting and running a business from the web. It's important to have a secure set up, with the speed and dependability needed for your online business.
For example, if you're a solopreneur running an online business on servers from a web hosting provider, you should be fine with high speed internet.
The goal is to have a connection that is reliable, fast and one that allows you to download and upload files quickly.
You'll also want a connection that can handle videos and streaming if not now, as your business grows.
2. Storage
If you will be making lots of videos and streaming, and you are finding that you're running out of storage space, you may need to contact your internet provider and upgrade your hosting plan.
If you're are a company storing your own files and housing large number of employees in one building, who will be using the internet, your storage needs may also be different.
If you're working along and you have have a home internet connection that is secure, you should have enough bandwidth to start an online business.
Some people use the internet connections at cafes, hotels, libraries, and other public places to do business related things. I wouldn't recommend these because they are not secure connections and your information (and your customer's information) could be compromised.
It's nice to be able to get out of the house to work, but make sure you can establish a secure connection before working on business related items.
Working in a public place would be good if you're working offline.
Equipment for Your Home Business
That won't break the bank!
3. A Home Computer
Some entrepreneurs are earning from home, using a phone. For example, there are phone apps that will allow you to make money online by performing certain tasks. In my opinion, to have an easy to run, full fledged online business, you'll need a larger screen to work from.
You will also need to be able to navigate around the web with ease. It's a lot harder to navigate quickly using a cell phone.
Many of the activities you'll need to do as a business owner includes copying and pasting, uploading and downloading files, editing and designing.
All of these activities are harder to do on a small screen and with limited navigation. For that reason, I recommend using a device with a larger screen, a mouse and keyboard.
I use the HP 14" Laptop, AMD Athlon Dual-core computer. If you're on a limited budget, know that the price of PC's has really gone down over the years and you'll find the range for a new computer on Amazon starting from $400+. They may be lower in price for the holiday season.
This sleek desktop HP 24 All-in-One PC, Intel Core i3-1115G4, 4GB RAM, 256GB SSD, Snow White, Windows 11 Home, is available on Walmart's website. This PC blends the power of a desktop with the beauty of a slim, modern display into one dependable device designed to grow with you.
The price on MacBooks is steady, and they are more expensive. But if you have the budget, they are a great buy in terms of value and functionality.
If you're a creative person MacBooks are designed to accommodate design software like Adobe products.
You can also use an iPad with a wireless keyboard and mouse. The Apple Magic Keyboard gives you the larger screen, easy navigation and a keyboard which makes it easy to work quickly.
At some point, (whether you use a PC or an Apple solution) if you want to be fast, efficient and productive you'll need the right tools. Any job is easier when you have the right tools. Having the right tools is an investment in you.
The last thing you need is the frustration of using tools that are slow and clunky. To grow your business and open the door to additional opportunities, at a minimum, you will need access to a computer with a screen and a keyboard.
For example, a laptop, desktop or tablet that has a wireless keyboard that makes it easier to see, navigate around on the screen and type on. There are plenty computer/tablet/keyboard models to choose from that are affordable.
4. You'll Need Something to Sell
This section applies if you don't have a product. To have an online business, you'll need a way to earn. A service you can provide, a product to sell, or a combination of both. There are plenty business models to choose, from services you can offer to products you make, or products made by other people that you can promote.
You'll need to decide if you will be selling or promoting products you make as a creator, products made by other people or companies, raw materials or supplies that other companies use to make finished products or all the above.
Will you sell and promote on your own site, on the sites and marketplaces of other companies or both? There are pros and cons of all the different places you can sell from.
For example, the image above shows products we designed and sold on Etsy during the Christmas season. These items are made using design software Canva, and we use an order fulfillment method called Print on Demand.
Selling products made by other people, is called affiliate marketing. With affiliate marketing you can earn a commission by sending orders to your sponsor's business.
Video: A Behind the Scenes Look at Blogging and Affiliate Marketing
Payment Choices for Your Customers
If you're going to sell products or services on a platform you own (like a self hosted WordPress blog), you will need a payment processor that you customers are familiar with. When you use certain platforms like WooCommerce or Shopify they will provide you with payment processing options.
If you sell products on another platform or marketplace, the platform will handle payment processing for you.
Keep in mind that when someone wants to make a purchase they want to have a check out process that is fast and easy with payment methods they know and trust.
We use Stripe to process payment on our sites. Stripe integrates with most eCommerce platforms like WooCommerce, Shopify and more.
5. A Blog or eCommerce Shop
No matter what industry you're in or the kinds of products you sell, you will need a place to send people to learn more about what you're offering. A blog checks all the boxes when it comes to helping you position your business in the best light.
The Benefits of Blogging
Blogging Tools
Some of the blogging tools we use in our business are Thrive Suite, WooCommerce, Rankmath SEO, and social media.
Thrive Suite - is a membership that provides a comprehensive sales and marketing toolset. Use Thrive Suite to build a blog and monetize it using affiliate marketing. With the membership you will receive a blog theme, lead generation system, countdown timer , testimonial/review manager , learning management software (LMS), automation tools and everything you need for a conversion focused site. This is the toolset we use here at Making It Remotely.
WooCommerce - This is our eCommerce tool that enables use to sell products on our site. It integrates seamlessly with Thrive Suite and blends into the look and feel that we've created using Thrive ThemeBuilder.
WooCommerce also integrates with our payment processors and allows us to accept major credit cards, Apple and Google pay as well as PayPal and Venmo.
Rankmath - We use Rankmath SEO to optimize our site for search. This makes is easier for our customers and potential customers to find our products and services online. Rankmath integrates well with Thrive Suite and helps us optimize each and every post for SEO.
Email Autoresponder - We use Mailchimp, aWeber and MailPoet to connect your site to your email marketing provider. This company will also handle email marketing for your businesses. There are many other email marketing providers that you can choose from.
Make sure your email marketing provider integrates with the theme and site builder you choose for your blog, if applicable.
If you're not sure which site builder will be a good fit for your needs, we've put together a comparison guide that breaks down the major sitebuilders and compares them to the tool we use, Thrive Suite.
6. Optional Gear
When starting out, it's best to keep everything simple, consistent and focused. It's important that you don't commit yourself to more than your schedule and other obligations will allow.
For that reason, you can choose a platform, like a blog or video channel to promote your products and services as well as any affiliate offers you might decide to promote.
The Equipment and Tools Needed to Start an Online Business
makingitremotely.com
If you're planning to run a podcast, you'll need a good hosting company like Anchor.fm and BuzzSprout (both of these platforms are free) and a quiet place to record your episodes.
As your business grows you'll need equipment to help you create content in different formats.
Here is some equipment that will help you get off to a great start. The equipment we use includes lighting, equipment to hold your devices, like the tripod shown is the 50’’ extendable lightweight aluminum tripod we use. We also use a high quality microphone, called the Blue Snowball.
The equipment we use includes a second HP monitor, high definition webcam, and video lighting that helps us put our best foot forward in our live streams and audio broadcasts.
The right lighting can make a big difference when making videos. Lighting can include ring lights, natural lighting in your home, and stationery lights. We use both. I've found that regular stationary lights work better in the front of
If you're making videos from your cell phone, having a ring light that clips onto your phone can give you the right amount of light to make quality videos with ease. This is the ring light we use.
These items are optional, and can be purchased as your business grows and you're looking for new ways to reach your audience.
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